He served his apprenticeship in the Port of London, initially working as a lighterman but eventually, in light of his physical prowess (Broughton was nearly 6 feet tall and very muscular, weighing over 14 stone, or approximately 196 pounds), working as a waterman rowing passengers on the River Thames.
As with many similar historic European ports, such as Rotterdam, the bulk of activities has steadily moved downstream towards the open sea, as ships have grown larger and other city uses take up land closer to the city's centre.
Large sailing barges from the Port of London would moor here to load or unload, their crews and attendant waggoners taking rest and sustenance at the inn.
London | University of London | University College London | London School of Economics | King's College London | Tower of London | City of London | London Underground | London Symphony Orchestra | London, Ontario | London Stock Exchange | London Borough of Hackney | Imperial College London | Jack London | Hyde Park, London | Port Adelaide | Great Fire of London | Chelsea, London | London Marathon | London and North Western Railway | 7 July 2005 London bombings | London Philharmonic Orchestra | London Palladium | Bishop of London | Port-au-Prince | South London | London, Midland and Scottish Railway | Lord Mayor of London | East End of London | Port Arthur |
Charterhouse Street is also the home of a 31 MWe combined heat and power plant operated by Citigen (E.ON) and located within and beneath the former headquarters of the Port of London Authority.
It was reported in The New York Times that he declined to contribute to party funds in turn for the peerage, feeling that his party contribution and unpaid services in relation to the Port of London were great enough to warrant the distinction without payment.
Meanwhile he became Chairman of the Port of London authority in 1946 and Chairman of the Royal Opera House in March the same year.